The November sky was no longer azure. Ke Bu pulled his collar up. He did not expect that this way of wasting time would go by incredibly fast. When he came back from the supermarket from buying things, he saw Zhi Li standing outside his dormitory room. He was leaning against the railings. It was so illusive. He was obviously close at hand but could not be touched. Ke Bu took out a warm beverage from inside a white plastic bag in his hands as he passed by. He lightly touched the back of Zhi Li’s hand with a cup: “Please.”

Zhi Li took the cup and did not drink it. He just held it in his hand.

“What are you thinking?” Ke Bu asked.

“Thinking about me and you.” Zhi Li flatly related.

Ke Bu slightly shook the bag in his hand: “You’re saying these irresponsible words again. Obviously, you don’t understand anything clearly. You’re always saying these kinds of misleading words. If I hadn’t known you for too long…”

“What I don’t clearly understand is you, Ke Bu.” After saying this, Zhi Li walked back to his own dormitory room, leaving only that warm beverage and Ke Bu standing there alone. He seemed angry. Ke Bu failed to understand clearly the reason. Was he tired of me always finding fault with him? Ah yes, I am not as gentle and soft as those girls that like him, nor am I even the same as the likes of Gong Zhu. It was strange. What was going on with my way of thinking? Why do I want to go in this direction? It was very strange. Ke Bu grabbed his own hair.

After that, it was as if that dialogue had never happened. Zhi Li was just like how he used to be. In fact, Ke Bu wanted to ask about the meaning of that sentence, but all along, he could not open his mouth. Perhaps, he just did not want to hear the answer. What was the answer that he desired anyways? At this moment, he recalled in his mind the words that Zhi Li said to Su Youyan: “Ne, follow me later.” It was so ambiguous.

“If I like a person, I will directly say it.”

Just as what Zhi Li actually said, he only resembled Su Youyan, and she was also just a companion in Zhi Li’s lonely time, nothing more. What about the person that Zhi Li likes, ne? It was unknown when Ke Bu began evading this problem.

Ying Xiujie sat on the desk, rocking it with his buttocks, as he made noises. Ke Bu stopped him: “You don’t seem to be in our class.”

There were only seven of them in the classroom. Ying Xiujie shrugged: “Is there any way that everyone in the class seems to be afraid of me.”

“If you can get rid of this habit of hitting people, we won’t be afraid of you. In fact, Xiujie is a gentle person,” Gong Zhu innocently said. Ying Xiujie and Chu Haoyu spat out from their mouth the milk that they were drinking. Zhou Xinhe covered her mouth with her hand to steal a smile. Su Youyan turned a page of her book.

“How come the two of you are here? Our class is not a refugee shelter.”

“Ah, Ke Bu is still as ruthless as usual.”

“It’s really hard to imagine the type of girl that Ke Bu would like. Ke Bu, if you’re going to choose a wife from anime shows, who would you choose? A tsundere beauty? Louise [1]? Shana [2]?”

Ke Bu waved his hand: “They usually love to fight with somebody. Do you really think that a normal guy like me would like to be hit by people at every turn? When they are shy, they will hit you. When they are happy, they will hit you. It’s only when they’re at their saddest time when these girls will restrain themselves. I am not a fool. Look, in real life, will a man endure being trampled underfoot by a woman? A good reputation is a man’s greatest asset.”

“How about beauties with big breasts?”

Ke Bu once again waved his hand and said: “No man wants their girlfriend wandering about everyday in revealing clothes. And also, about those anime characters you’re talking about, they are the most unrealistic ones. This world won’t have all of the beautiful women turn to surround ‘waste materials’ who desperately want to hold their breasts and stick their lips on them. Yu Tai, You just watch too many of these movies to create false fantasies. If we begin counting on our fingers, who doesn’t like a fine man who’s handsome and has lots of money?”

Ke Bu analyzed clearly and logically, but Chu Haoyu could not appreciate it: “Indeed, your way of thinking’s too dark. I don’t believe there’s a type that you like.”

“Oh, there is.”

Ke Bu answered very simply.

“Who?”

“Ran Mōri [3].” An unexpected answer. Ke Bu continued talking: “She’s pretty, gentle, considerate, and can protect her own self. Her eyes won’t shine when she sees other men, dresses just right, occasionally acts like a spoiled child, and has a little temper, but not deliberately provocative.”

Everyone was stunned by Ke Bu’s speech. Gong Zhu touched his chin: “I didn’t expect Ke Bu would be an unexpectedly simple man. The type that he likes is very traditional.”

“Your conditions are too high. In reality, how can that be so good?”

“So to speak, reality has evolved into what many people really like and the ideal condition’s different.” Ke Bu’s peripheral vision caught Zhi Li’s figure. His eyes dimmed.

“With your awful character, you’re forever doomed to not having a partner to date.” Chu Haoyu gave a summary. He only liked beauties with big breasts anyway.

Ke Bu leisurely opened the bread bag in front of himself. He tore off a piece, gnawed a mouthful in his mouth, then vaguely said: “How can you be so sure? Oh, I have.”

“Have what?”

“A partner to date.” The effects of Ke Bu’s words were different. It seemed like they never really asked Ke Bu if he was single! Ying Xiujie tightly bit on the straw. His big eyes opened wide out of disbelief. Apart from Su Youyan and Zhi Li, everybody’s mouth opened wide. Chu Haoyu was the most unwilling: “What!! You actually even have one, too. It was really that beautiful big sister from last time, right?! Damn, I’m losing my faith in life.”

“What a rude remark!”

“How long have you been together? It’s too much to hide it from us.”

Ke Bu continued munching on the bread, then looked like he was recalling something: “It looks like it’s been a long time ago. Let me think. Anyhow, back then, I bought a popsicle stick for five yuan but they haven’t given it to me yet. We agreed to do the AA system [4].”

([4]「AA制」AA Zhi – to split the bill.)

“That’s not the flavor I like to eat.”

Everyone’s eyes followed the man who suddenly spoke: Zhi Li!!

“What, you want to break your promise?!” Ke Bu shouted.

“What?”

“Cut it out.”

“What?”

The masses gaze shifted again and again between the two men in the conversation. How, how could these two people carry on with their conversation, how?!

Ke Bu turned back and took another bite of his bread: “How? Didn’t I say that? And the person I’m dating is Zhi Li.” Just like a bomb, it blasted five people off. For the first time, even Su Youyan looked surprised. Five people were completely not used to these words and appeared to be staring blankly. Ke Bu continued talking: “But it’s not what you think it is.”